


stardust canvas

by novapearlgray



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: ??? - Freeform, Enemies to Lovers, Gay, M/M, Slow Burn, Wordcount: 10.000-30.000, anyways enjoy!, cave sesh?, is three tags a lot?, the immortal husbands, what else do i tag this with?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:20:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25337521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novapearlgray/pseuds/novapearlgray
Summary: They were enemies on the battlefield until they found themselves unable to keep the other dead. Impossible to kill the other, they stayed together, knowing persecution would be the likely fate if they were found out. And so, they ran away.Their story is not a struggle as to whether they can survive, but whether they can avoid getting captured.It's the story of Nicolò and Yusuf.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani & Nicky | Nicolo di Genova
Comments: 4
Kudos: 61





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thank you to DrJackAndMissJo, for being one of my editors and giving me much needed tips on my Italian. I really appreciate you! Another, equally huge thank you to mintyfreshness for all the suggestions and edits, you've already taught me so much and you're giving this story so much personality. You're both so incredibly sweet and I look forward to working with you!

Nico swung his fist at the man’s chest, the sole survivor of the opposition. As his enemy stumbled backwards, he stooped to pick up his weapon from the floor, before lunging forward to create a deep incision in the man’s abdomen. As his opponent fell to the floor, defeated, he swiveled his head back round, only to notice that he was the last one standing. Taking a moment to observe the bodies scattered around, some in bloody clusters whilst others lay distanced from the rest, the weight of the battle startled Nico despite his exposure to violence, as the extent of the blood spilt today was alarmingly high. The ground was stained a fresh colour, his own hands bloodied with the insides of his enemies.

Before he could fashion another thought, he felt a thick blade enter through his back, twisting and scraping across his bones. He felt the blade slide inside him, mincing the inside of his stomach into a tender mush, before being harshly withdrawn. He collapsed, spluttering as his knees caved, every muscle in his body writhing in a desperate, futile attempt to escape the pain he felt. He tried to call out to someone, but a hot sensation gurgling in his throat, sloshing as he convulsed on the ground, rendered him effectively speechless 

His movement ceased all of a sudden, staying calm for a few minutes as his opponent relieved him of his sword, a hard-won trophy to show once he returned home. 

Feeling sense in his fingertips, Nico winced as he felt a queer sensation, the gaps inside him growing tight, his organs reforming and reconstructing and he slowly felt like he was becoming whole again. Gasping for air, taking it in as if he would not be able to breathe for another century, he grabbed the sword near his foot, chasing the man who had started to walk away, who turned around to confirm whether he had imagined hearing footsteps. His concerns were instantly confirmed, as he met Nico’s eyes just in time for him to plunge the weapon into his stomach, stabbing him in quick, in and out motions as revenge for killing him in the first place. Once he was sure he was done, he took back his own sword, twirling it like a baton in his hands as he chuckled at what he thought he had experienced: him and his enemy resurrecting. A miracle from God, if there ever was one.

He watched as the man he had just killed started twitching his fingers, holding on to the ground and bobbing gently, before sharply inhaling and clambering to his feet in one smooth motion. He swung for Nico, who lept to defend himself, knocking his sword out of his hands. The motion dislodged, his own sword which was swept clean out of his hands, disarming him as well. He looked at the man, wondering if he really could be the same one as before, as he kicked his stomach in a desperate attack. He had even seen him heal, watching as his wounds stopped gushing with blood, barely avoiding a blow to the head amidst his thoughts. He knocked his ribs, jumping on his as his opponent fell to the floor. Knees placed on either side of the heathen, he grabbed his throat with both hands, moving a knee to keep his chest down. Nico was met with thick fingers on his neck too, before being rolled onto the floor and pushed into the ground, the man thrusting his palms into Nico’s neck abruptly.

The man stayed in his position, knowing he had watched the light leave his eyes, that there was no way possible that he would survive this. Quicker than the time before, Nico regained life, screaming as he threw his head at the man’s face, who cried out in response. He removed the blade he kept at his side and slit the man’s throat, holding his together as he waited for him to resurrect. Sure enough, within mere seconds, his nose cracked back into place and the gash on his neck shrivelled. Nico stroked his neck where the wound was, wondering if it was an illusion. He saw the other man’s eyes open as he began to run, reaching before his thoughts caught up with him. 

They _were_ alike, in a sense.

Every other man that had been tossed onto this field had fallen in the hands of death, appreciating their fate and accepting it gracefully, even if it was too soon. They had expected it, of course, after being paraded into battle, wishing for a different fate but ultimately acknowledging the likelihood of dying. Nico had prayed he would return home, his wishes fulfilled by some bizarre means. 

He turned around, looking at the man, who turned around and threw his sword away, in a javelin like motion. Nico imitated these actions, incredibly unsure of what he was doing, but carrying them out nonetheless. The man removed his helmet, revealing thick, curly locks that had been distressed by the headgear, resulting in some uneven tufts reaching out for the sky. Nico copied this action, refusing to break eye contact with this man as he was caught up in the crime he was committing, as if looking at him was protecting him from harm.

The man patted his chest, saying, _“Yusuf al-Kaysani. Yusuf._ ”

 _“Nicolò de Genova. Nicolò_ , _"_ he replied timidly, as if he was afraid of saying the wrong answer.

They took slow steps towards each other, just observing what the other was doing and trying to make sense of what had happened. Nico held up his index finger and poked Yusuf’s cheek, to absolutely ensure that he was real. Using his blade, he cut a slit in his palm, pressing into the wound and observing the blood. He held his hand flat, so Yusuf could see what he was doing, both men watching in awe as the wound clotted, then closed up, as if it had never been struck. He threw the blade behind him in case Yusuf saw him as a threat, as he had forgotten to do so before, looking back at the man.

They shared a quiet laugh, fleeting and hollow as they started walking, wondering what the hell they would do. Nico turned to Yusuf and said _"cibo"_ , miming eating something and searching around, walking a couple of paces. He picked up a package of rations, labelled with his own name, which was given as an acknowledgement to his former priesthood, rewarding him with extra rations which he had thrown during battle. Yusuf nodded, knowing where he could find some more and tugged up at Nico's outer armour, suggesting that he removed it. Although he questioned the task, he complied, unfastening his belt and pulling the chainmail over his head. He was wearing white, loose fitting clothes, delicately embroidered with shimmering pearl stitches, similar to what Yusuf was wearing underneath. He handed Nico the armor of a fallen Muslim soldier, setting guilty feelings aside with the affirmation that they had no use for it anymore, then picked up two helmets - his own and another similar in style and functionality

Adequately kitted out, they walked over a couple hundred metres until they reached a couple mounds of stone, with one collapsed man guarding it. Yusuf sighed, removing the shovel by the man’s side and digging up the ground around him, which should have been a much harder feat, though it had recently been scratched at. Nico stood to the side, watching as the other man beat the ground, churning his shovel in, grabbing a heap of soil and flinging it out to the side in a pile. It was robotic, as Yusuf only stopped once to pat Nico away, digging with purpose until he was met with resistance. He placed the shovel aside, picked up the claw and rope tool and threw it down the hole, laying flat on the floor with his head and hands peering into the space. After only a few tries, as he had never been anything less than a combat soldier once he was politely coerced into joining the military, he threaded one of the three claws through a little circle of wire and started tugging at it.

The soil around it loosened as the box was recently accustomed to this movement, as it allowed itself to be hoisted up. He placed it box on the ground, removing the hook and weaving his fingers around the fortress of rope that encased the wooden box. He shuffled the lid off, revealing a plethora of packages that contained thick white bread loaves, ground nut and sugar treats, as well as dates and skins: filled with both typical and Zamzam water. He picked up a couple of each, ensuring there was plenty left for the next man, tossing them into Nico's lap. He threaded the rope back one, pulling and twisting at it until it resembled its former state, amazing both himself as well as Nico, who was keenly eyeing his actions.

He controlled the box’s decline, watching it carefully as it scraped down the hole. He placed the hook device back where he found it, used the shovel to fill up the hole and patted it down, returning the shovel to its deceased owner. He turned to Nico, as if waiting for him to finally contribute to their mission, only to be met with a blank expression. He shook his head and sighed, beginning a trek to a nearby village of outcast merchants that he knew could take them in. Although he could not communicate any of this to Nico, he followed him, trusting the decision he made.

To break their uneasy silence, Nico started pointing at random objects and naming them in Ligurian, whilst Yusuf repeated what Nico had said, offering his Arabic translation afterwards. Yusuf recognised some of it, as a result of being a merchant's son, yet he only knew how to string a few words together to greet someone, convince them to buy something or curse. He knew his own attempts at speaking it was appalling - his father used to chuckle at his pronunciations - but it was easier to understand the tongue of others, as he had met a few native speakers before, all of them Muslim migrants who typically stayed a few days before travelling onwards.

The barren, flat lands morphed into mountainous terrains of dry hills, that held promise of springs or rivers. Yusuf realised they would not make it there in time today, so he pointed ahead of him and mimed sleeping, pointing at the “shams” in the sky and noticing how it was on track to setting. Nico nodded, pointing at the “sole” with his right hand and then pointing at his palm. He then held his right hand horizontally across his body, circling his other hand from his right to his left, stopping it before it came in contact with his elbow. He left it in that position, then pointed at the sun again, trying to get Yusuf to understand he was referring to the sunset.

“ _Tramonto. Ora, é un tramonto_.” he smiled, nervous, in case Yusuf still did not understand what he was trying to say.

Luckily, he did, having heard his father say those words before, and he smiled back at Nico encouragingly. They continued walking, soon approaching interesting terrains of hills, caves and crevices, the extreme rock features verging on mountainous terrains. Dusk glowered at them, augmenting every shadow as they approached, as they hurried into a spot. 

A particularly large cave, about the size of a small hall, caught Nico’s attention as they ventured inside. A rock larger than the entrance, but slightly misshapen, sat inside the cave, next to the opening. The cave itself was surprisingly bare, with only large rounded rocks inside, suggesting that they would not be the first people who stayed here. The build up of sand and dust on the floor was calming, as it proved that no-one had been here recently.

Yusuf followed Nico inside, sweeping the sand and dust outside before they would lose the sun’s rays. Once he was satisfied, Yusuf removed his guise, of his armor and helmet, propping them beside the rocks. He went outside, placing his hands on a rock and shaking the dust off. As he entered again, he took off his sandals and placed them by the entrance, gesturing to Nico to do the same. Whilst reciting prayers, he rubbed his face with his hands gently, then rubbed his hands with another. He knew the cave’s mouth faced east, as the sun set in the west, whispering calculations to himself with his eyes closed, until he realised which way he had to face. He set down a piece of cloth a few steps in front of him, whispered prayers flying from his mouth and disappearing into the evening sky.

Nico removed his armor, tossing it by his helmet and sitting down, facing Yusuf. He did not mean to come across as startling whilst he watched the other man, curiosity overwhelming him as he watched a Muslim pray for the first time. Of course, he had heard prayers in battle, particularly as their last words, but those were usually forced out of their mouths before their death could catch up to them. But Yusuf had a calmness about him that the others, in the throes of death, could not have hoped to achieve, mostly still with the exception of bowing, kneeling and standing up again in routine, mouthing words during it all. Nico felt peaceful merely watching the man as he was absorbed in his actions, and though he himself was not praying, he felt like he was joining in.

Eventually, Yusuf cupped his hands and whispered, a couple of tears forming, as he brought his hands up to his face, then followed them down into his lap again. He sat, looking in front of him, knowing that there was a chance none of it was real. That the books and prophets and Allah were really just fictitious, as his abilities were blasphemous. He had done nothing wrong of his own accord, and he knew if anyone besides the man watching him found out, his safety would be compromised - the people inflicting him being the same that had taught him how to pray. Tears continued their journey down his face, as he thought of all the people that he has disappointed, unknowingly. It would be better for them both if they let everyone that knew them presume them dead. Heroes that died in battle, fighting for what was right, as opposed to becoming something unnatural, beyond explanation. He looked back at Nico, who immediately turned his head away.

Nico scolded himself, in his head, for encroaching on his privacy, as he always felt self-conscious in the few times he was caught crying. He almost did not realise he was crying himself until he felt a drip of water upon his chest, cursing quietly as he wiped his face. He scooched over to Yusuf, unaware of the weight of his actions in that moment, wiping his face with his hands, whispering.

“ _Andrà tutto bene_ , Josef, andrà tutto bene.”

“Josef?” Yusuf laughed, at the stark mishap in his pronunciation, but appreciated the gesture. He wiped his own face with his hands again, picking up the cloth from the floor and patting Nico’s dry - he had not done a great job of guiding the tears away.

“M _angiamo, Josef. Cibo. Taeam_?” he asked, unsure if he had pronounced the Arabic word right.

Appalled but mostly amused by his pronunciation, he said “mangiamo cibo” in return. Nico took his own parcel first, then picked up one of Yusuf’s, as well as two pouches of water. Nico sat down beside him, unwrapping the parcels in a less delicate manner than Yusuf could have. His parcel revealed slices bread, thick and grainy, speckled with tiny pieces of fruit and nuts. He also had shards of crispier, unleavened bread, and two covered cups of water, Yusuf assumed. He took it, smiled, replying “ _shukraan_ ”, with Nico replying “ _prego_ ”. They both took a bite, savouring the sweet flecks of honey and hearty wheat that went into it. Nico pointed to it and said “ _panettone_ ”. Yusuf replied _"panettone_ ” and they repeated it to each other until Nico could no longer hold in his laughter at Yusuf’s attempts to mimic his accent, a response which seemed only to make him try even harder.

He wrapped the rest of the slices away, eager to try what Yusuf had offered. Those loaves were a bit bigger, more dense and eaten with a dip. Yusuf stood up, searching for one, and brought back a small ball of thick, slightly rubbery material. He pulled it open slightly, which released a pungent, garlicky scent. Yusuf had always criticised the need for a dip, as it would not have been convenient in any sense to have whilst moving, yet it fitted the occasion before them. He handed Nico a slice, both taking a bite of the loaf. It was sturdier, with more body than the “ _panettone_ ” they had before, still pleasant to eat. Nico tried the dip for the first time, coughing softly at the hit of spice. Yusuf picked up two skins that were filled with water, noticing how Nico had picked the smaller ones, helping him to stand up. He pointed in the direction he was praying and handed Nico the water, reciting some words before he sipped it himself. Nico imitated this, reciting his own prayers instead. Once he was done, Yusuf took that bottle off him, replacing it with a bigger one. They sat down again, Nico unsure of what was going on but eating along with Yusuf, as the moonlight illuminated their surroundings.

Once they had finished eating, they wrapped up their remaining food and placed it with the rest. Yusuf pushed a boulder over the entrance from the inside, which did not conceal them entirely, allowing some of the night light to shine through. He laid on the floor, resting his head on his hand, facing inwards, as did Nico. They were a couple of metres apart, just able to distinguish each other's face in the shadows, a comfortable distance for the two. Yusuf watched as Nico fluttered his eyes shut, exhausted from the events of the day.

“ _Buona notte, Josef._ ”

“ _Tusbih ‘ala khair, Nicolò_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed, sunshine!


	2. Chapter 2

Memories of the previous day circled in Yusuf’s head as he slowly sat up, head and sides aching from the night on the floor. He clutched his hip, predicting the bruises that would soon form on his skin, easing himself up. He shook his head, trying to make sense of what he was about to do, when his eyes found Nico. A soft glow hugged him as the sun rose, emphasising the features of the man. His skin softened, hair beaming as a combination of the lighting, and Nico being fast asleep made him appear simply serene. Though Yusuf knew first hand the man’s abilities in combat and the fury he had wrought yesterday, he appeared to be completely at peace, holding his head in his hands as his knees were brought up to his chest, curled like a baby. For the first time, he noticed a small, wooden cross that hung around his neck on a piece of rope. It had likely popped out over his top during his sleep, as he was sure he was trying to hide it from Yusuf. He forgot he was once the enemy, part of the brutality that had his people killed and burned, in an attempt to claim the holy land.

Sighing, he rolled the boulder over, big enough so only he could pass through. It seemed so much simpler before, without the complication of knowing he was so different, without the blood of so many on his hands, as he barely remembered the days before the battle began. His mother, who had likely heard the news of his tragic demise by now, trying to compose herself for her daughter, his sister. She would ask where he was, unable to understand the concept of war and violence at her age. He shook his head, knowing there was no use dwelling on the past when his future was so uncertain.

Lost upon his thoughts, he soon stumbled across a camel, walking ahead of him. He followed instinctively, climbing up hills and circling around others, reaching a lush spring, attended by even more camels. His eyes lit up, unable to distinguish whether it was real or just a mirage, as he gazed on in awe. Though the vegetation was scarce - a few bushes bearing fruit, plants beside the water, and cacti - it provided some water, which was all they had desired now. Whether they needed it or not was up for debate, as he was not sure of the extent of his immortality. Maybe he was immune to dying from battle only, or at the hand of someone else. Either way, it was a relief to see.

He dipped his fingers in the water tentatively, confirming it was real as he felt the welcome, wet warmth of the spring. He ran his hand through it, swishing the water about gently in glee, cupping some with both hands and wetting his face. He ran it through his hair, then shook his hands to displace the excess water. He traced the outline of the spring, to understand the area he was in better, following some of the growth uphill, stumbling across a stream. It gushed from one side to another, trickling downwards out of sight. Giggling to himself, he rose to his feet and began making his way back, trying not to get lost as he ventured back into the cave.

Picking up the water skins, as well as a twig from the Arak tree that was wrapped with his supplies, he retraced his steps to the stream, taking the opportunity to stop and fill up the skins. He took a handful of water and swished it around in his mouth, spitting it to the side; he took another handful and dipped his twig into it, scrubbing his teeth with it. Once he was done, he rinsed his mouth again, admiring the golden glow of the rising sun before heading once more towards the cave.

In his excitement, knowing Nico would be delighted that he had found water, he accidentally knocked off the pile of packages stacked upon each other on top of a boulder, causing a water skin to roll off and burst on beside Nico. 

Startled from sleep, he blinked his eyes open, unsure of what was going on, until he realised his right side was wet. He wondered if it was blood, as it was warm, touching the liquid and holding his hand in front of his eyes. The liquid was clear, almost definitely water; that was positive. He noticed Yusuf with his lips pressed tightly together, stifling laughs and his eyes darting about, trying not to look at Nico. In return, his eyes were fixed accusingly at Yusuf, wondering whether it was meant as a joke or an act of hostility. He dismissed the latter immediately, knowing that despite killing each other several times, they were the only people they could rely on now.

_ "Cosa in cielo..." _ he mumbled, wiping his eyes and sitting up.

" _ Sabah al-khair _ , Nicolò." he replied, wishing him good morning. He apologized for spilling water on him, knowing Nico would not understand but it only felt right to do. His feelings of guilt that arose after he disturbed his sleep were quickly shook off as Nico laughed, and he joined in gratefully. Smiling, he helped him up, tugging on his hands effortlessly, looking up at the man once he reached his total height. He almost did not realize how tall he was, even though he had to look up to face him when they were standing.

He picked up a clean Arak twig and started walking to the spring, calling Nico after him to show him what he had found. He had to help Nico up during the steeper areas of the hills, as he had struggled to maintain a grip on the rock, but they eventually made it. To his surprise, Nico recoiled, standing behind Yusuf and peeking out from the side of his head as he eyed the camels in disgust. Yusuf turned around, raising an eyebrow at Nico and called out  _ "jamal" _ , laughing and pointing towards one. Nico, however, was less amused, rubbing his arm with his hand as his heart beat increased, not wanting to go near them.

_ "So che è un cammello. Non mi piacciono," _ Nico replied, shaking his head.

Yusuf dragged him across, holding his hand as he reluctantly followed - although it was not as if he had much of a choice - as Yusuf approached one of the camels. He handed the twig over to Nico, setting sights on the nearest camel. He offered the back of his hand to it so it could smell him, like a dog, who then brushed his nose on Yusuf's face. Giggling, he gently touched the back of the camel’s ear, which jittered in agreement. He continued to stroke the camel, then looked back at Nico, who was inching away slowly.

_ "Sadaqani," _ he whispered, pulling his head away from Nico's ear and offering to take his hand. Nervous, he lifted it up, watching Yusuf intertwine his own hand into Nico's. His body was lightly pressed into Nico's back, slightly to one side so he could oversee and control his actions, as they took steps towards the animal. Yusuf took his hand off, holding Nico's wrist instead to guide the back of his hand to the camel's nose. He gasped as the camel nuzzled its face into his hand, then turned around to chew on something on the ground.

Relaxing, Nico felt Yusuf dragging his hand over to the camel's fur, gently touching and stroking it before Yusuf stepped back and left him to it. Nico continued the motion, his heavy breathing loosening as he felt a bit more comfortable, around Yusuf at least. He smiled at Yusuf, who handed him the bark again and started observing the flower to his front. Nico stood awkwardly, passing the twig from hand to hand as he watched him pluck the flower and head his way. He handed it to Nico, apologising for the morning, hitting him with a smile that made it hard to resist the present. He popped it behind his ear, knowing it would amuse Yusuf and handed the twig back to him.

He wondered if all of them were completely inept, or whether it was just this one. It seemed as if he was incapable of doing anything he wasn't told to do, yet it was amusing in a sense. He took himself over to the stream, dipping it in the handful of water he had taken from it. He dropped the water, handing the stick over to Nico, who still looked back, unknowingly what to do. Yusuf opened his mouth and pointed at it, so Nico fumbled an attempt at brushing his teeth. Yusuf realised he must have never done this before, so he took the twig off him with one hand and held his face with the other. He sighed at how ridiculous this was, but he had left his own at the cave and he had no desire to brush his teeth again, so he instructed Nico to open his mouth, demonstrating the angle he should hold the bark and the motion he should make.

He passed the twig back to Nico, who was red in the face but now understood how to do it marginally better. He still struggled, Yusuf making sure not to hide his chuckles as he thrusted it into his gum too hard, crying out in pain, before seeing the funny side and joining him in laughing. He rinsed his mouth, washed his face and adjusted his flower, then squatted next to Yusuf. He picked out an odd plant, consisting of slightly blue finger-like protrusions that sat in clumps underwater, with a little green hat on top. The texture was soft, as if the plant was barely holding itself together, and did not resemble anything he had recognised. He set it aside, facing Nico in case he was doing anything important.

_ “Cibo, Nicolò?” _

_ “Sì. Mangiamo cibo." _

Yusuf picked up a few portions of bread, as well as the sweet nut snacks, whilst Nico picked up some of the crackers. They portioned the food between themselves, settling into the edge of the cave where the sunlight blessed the men with golden hues and started to eat. Both men were hungrier than they had anticipated, but Yusuf was wary of eating too much more in case the food would not last. Though there was a possibility they could survive without it, going hungry was unpleasant either way. When they had finished the bread, sipping on water along the way, Nico opened one of his own water vessels, taking a bite of the cracker and washing it down with some of that water. He passed it to Yusuf, who realised it was a type of juice, copying Nico’s way of eating the cracker.

Upon sipping it, he could not recognise what the juice was. It was sweet, but slightly bitter and acidic, an overall positive taste even though he could not understand where that was coming from. He took another sip, without the cracker to try and understand the taste, but could not manage it. He passed it back to Nico, who took another gulp, shrugging his shoulders to ask him what it was.

_ “Vino rosso.” _

He furrowed his brows, not understanding what it was, but taking another sip anyways once Nico had done so too. It felt hot as it trickled down his throat, comforting but also leaving a peculiar aftertaste, one he had not experienced before.

Once breakfast was finished, Yusuf took Nico outside again, noticing the state of their clothes and knowing they had only a few hours until the sun would blaze in its peak. Upon arriving back at the stream, he took off a sandal and dragged his toes across the bottom of the body of water, feeling only smoothened rock. Satisfied, he put that foot back on land, removed his other foot from the shoe and stepped into the water, patting down his trousers as they ballooned upon impact. He grabbed a rounded stone that sat next to his sandals, and as he stepped towards the centre of the spring, he realised it was surprisingly deep, covering past his navel. He called out “Nicolò!”, in the hope that he might join him in the water, splashing his face and wetting his hair, rejoicing over how lucky they were to find it. He then took off his top and started scrubbing it with the rock.

Nico walked over, dipping his foot in and wiggling his toes. Glancing at Yusuf, who was concentrating hard on his task, he sat on the shore, lowering his legs into the water until his feet met the bottom. Imitating Yusuf’s actions, he took off his top, wet it in the water, and shook it about, running his fingers over the stains to try and remove them. In the moments he took to splash his face with the water, cooling himself down immensely, Yusuf took Nico’s top, almost appalled at the abysmal way he was trying to clean it, and brushed it well against the rock. He set both pieces of clothing seperate boulders, blowing the sand away before he did so, then took himself back into the water. In that moment he realised that Nico’s flower had fallen, unsure of when it had dropped, and frowned slightly. Nico raised a brow at his expression, confused as to why he appeared dejected all of a sudden, until Yusuf pointed to Nico’s ear.

_ “Fiore?” _ he asked, pointing back at his ear. He smiled, shaking his head slightly and placed his hand on Yusuf’s shoulder, trying to tell Yusuf to forget about it.

He nodded his head in response, carefully plucking his trousers off and scrubbing them, wringing and placing them to dry besides his own top. He walked backwards towards Nico, turning around when the water reached above his waist, holding his hand out to take Nico’s trousers as well. He bent his knees in the water, bending his body back as he tugged them off, in a less delicate manner than Yusuf who had done so almost effortlessly, ignoring the fact there was any resistance from the water entirely. The trousers appeared to be easier to wash, without having to be careful around the slits in the cloth where they were stabbed, all the while having to scrub harder to rinse the blood off.

Once he had finished putting the last of the clothing to dry, Yusuf turned around to see Nico’s body submerged underwater. He pulled him up instinctively, breathing heavily, shaking his shoulders to see if he was okay until Nico opened his eyes in laughter. Yusuf took a step back, regaining his composure, trying not to burst into tears as he thought he had lost him. Nico held his hand, squeezing it gently three times, whispering  _ “mi dispiace _ ”. He squeezed once more and relaxed his grip on the man, facing the water. Yusuf stepped back, took a handful of water and threw it at Nico, who attempted to duck away from him. He was met by a wave of water in response, which he tried to break by flailing his hands in front of him. They continued to splash water at each other, eventually stopping to guide ripples at each other, trying to bounce them back and forth between the two men like ping pong, to evade any feelings of vulnerability.

Yusuf, facing away from Nico, walked back to the boulders, shook himself to dry for a couple of seconds before placing his clothes on his damp body. He started to pace to dry the clothes, before catching a glimpse at Nico, who was looking up at him with a look of feigned abandonment on his face. He faced away, walking forwards and backwards whilst the other man dressed himself. He joined Yusuf in his pacing, standing behind Yusuf to avoid the camels as much as possible until they were both sufficiently dry. Their sandals squeaked as they walked, but they knew as soon as they reached the cave and set them by the entrance to dry, that issue would be resolved.

In the time they had to kill before they set off, Nico began moulding dough like clay into fingers, while Yusuf observed some of the plants that caught his interest. Some of the flowers he had noticed before, with elegant, muted colours, held the promise of having edible petals. Typically, they would be used on a dessert as a garnish, but Yusuf doubted the likelihood of them having sweet rice or donut holes covered in date syrup any time soon. There were some small, spiky bushes lay dotted further away from the water, bearing tiny gems of fruit to those who could pick them without being pricked. He did not know whether they were edible, once again, knowing that although it might now matter, he decided against pushing his luck. There was not much hope, he thought, knowing their food supply would only last a few days at most.

He watched the camels, realising that there must be something they could eat, as they would not have survived without a food source, unless they too were immortal like he appeared to be, which he deemed unlikely. On the other hand, they were satiated from chewing twigs and seeds and whatever else they could find, which was something him and Nico could not do. The thought that told Yusuf that it did not matter if they ate, as they would likely revive, was more rationally displaced with the fact that dying of hunger over and over again did not seem at all appealing. That brought back a series of memories that he did not know he had, but could not actually access, as if it had just evaporated from his mind. He shook his head, knowing he could not dwell on things that did not exist anymore. Stories were fabricated to bring magic to a life that needed a lack of familiarity, and in this point in time he had enough of that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the happiest chapter and it focuses on survivor's guilt, I just wanted to pre-warn you guys incase that's a trigger for any of you. It will get happier, I promise! Stay safe, because I'm rooting for you, sunshine.

_"Wahid."_ Yusuf pointed a finger up, then two with _"athnain"_ , continuing through until he reached _"khamsa"_ at the fifth finger. He repeated this, enunciating the words slower as Nico followed along. He attempted to recite the numbers by himself, Yusuf correcting him when he got the numbers three and four wrong, whilst cheering him on when he remembered five. After a few minutes, Nico had grasped what he was being taught, bobbing each finger up as he spoke the corresponding number, smiling to himself when he had gone through it without Yusuf’s assistance. He pointed at Nico, asking if he wanted to teach him anything, with the tilt of his head. Nico replied with _“la”_ , meaning no, shaking his head as he gazed at Yusuf, wanting him to carry on with his lesson. Complying, he taught Nico the Arabic numbers up to twenty, counting with the fingers from both of their hands combined, to keep track, until Nico was confident. 

Nico picked up one of the crayons that he had fashioned from clay prior, shuffling to the back wall of the cave and sketching, with soft strokes, considering every line with care. His body blocked Yusuf’s view of the drawing, who watched, sitting at the mouth of the cave with his head propped against the wall. Nico turned back only once, being met with a gentle eyebrow raise from Yusuf as he nodded his head. 

Nico observed his face in the moments they were looking at each other, then the distinct way Yusuf composed himself, flaring his chest outwards and holding his arms behind him as if he was on guard. His knees were spaced apart, curled into right angles as if he was about to stand up, making Nico wonder if he was on edge instead. Noting this in mind, he continued to draw, ensuring to exert an presence and heart in his drawing, in an attempt to capture his thoughts on the canvas. He needed to cheer Yusuf. 

Whilst Nico was intently sketching, Yusuf faced the outside, trying to alleviate any pressure Nico might feel from being watched. In the meanwhile, Yusuf wondered for how long things would continue to be uncertain. He knew the journey would take a day, at least, to the next village near them. He thought about how they had quickly cast themselves away from their families, to run, all because of the cursed blessing that had been bestowed upon them. 

Blurred images of the men he had dispatched to the afterlife taunted him, when he closed his eyes, when he smiled - any and every moment he did not occupy himself. He knew they had just as much reason to survive as he did. What had he done differently? He should not be alive, he thought, moving, laughing and breathing as all those men laid, faces distorted and corpses slashed, returning to their families indistinguishable from the rest. He thought about his own father for a moment, who he should have been reunited with instead of being tossed back on earth, knowing that every moment that passed from then on would have to be considered carefully, their current identities erased. 

It did not help that he would have to make his journey with Nico, who was paler than himself, could not speak Arabic and struggled at brushing his own teeth. Then again, he knew Nico was the one with more dead weight on his back.

_“Josef, guarda, per favore.”_

He almost did not recognise Nico calling for him, due to the unconventional manner in which he pronounced his name, quickly realising that there was no-one else Nico could talk to. He could not see the faces he did, Yusuf hoped. Nico turned his body to the side, allowing Yusuf to see what he had accomplished. 

In a pastel blue, he had sketched two people, riding camels into a sunset. Mountains stretched at either side of the focus, varying in height and complexity, some of them bearing animals, plants or paths at different elevations, whilst others opted for simplicity. The relief calmed towards the centre, with extreme hills being replaced with lush water streams, decorated with vegetation, in the form of berry bushes, tall grass and reeds. Tiny creatures nestled in some of the crevices, with a raft of ducks swimming playfully in the lake. Although he had exaggerated the biodiversity in comparison to the spring they had stumbled across, he had depicted some features as they were in the spring they had found; the placement of the boulders, the flowers as well as the camels. Of course, he had also illustrated the two men themselves.

Before Yusuf could say anything, Nico picked up a rock that lay amongst their belongings, lifting it to reveal a pressed flower, muted orange in colour, the very one Yusuf had picked for him. Nico had done so to preserve it, knowing that as the days passed it would wilt and degrade into a memory. Preserving it meant he could hold on to it for longer, as a token of their unlikely friendship. Yusuf smiled, feeling warm and full, as if his past torments had been pushed aside in these moments. A fuzzy sensation told him that they could make it work, as they had already overcome the prejudices that pitted themselves against each other, aware of the overwhelming need for both of them to stay together, to stay hidden. 

It might have been the fact that Nico’s gesture elevated him from his sinking thoughts, or that in that moment, the man ensured that he did not feel so isolated, but he pulled Nico in for a hug, unable to contain his swirling emotions, holding him tight until he could just about bear the thought of letting go. When they pulled away from each other, they both had the same thought - _andrà tutto bene_.

Afternoon passed as they walked, sat and ate together. Nico sketched more small drawings at one stretch of wall: food, feelings, animals and anything else he thought of, as well as a full body sketch of Yusuf, and the sun in different positions. They taught each other names of different clothing, body parts, time of days and pointed at the other drawings, calling out the name of it. They tested each other as if they were playing a game, both rooting for the other person as they cheered, listened and laughed at each other’s mispronunciations. Though it was difficult keeping track of so many words, they were both determined to make an effort, sharing a primal goal - apart from staying hidden - of being able to converse with each other. 

The sun swept itself away, tucking behind the horizon, as the moon rose, making feeble attempts to emanate light. Nico wondered why Yusuf had not prayed today, knowing that it was obligatory to pray five times daily, especially as he had done so the night before. He had looked rough earlier, he noticed, appearing more at ease when they talked or learnt. He was unsure whether to ask at first, wondering if it would be a step too far, and eventually dismissed the thought entirely as he knew it was not of his concern. 

He looked at the man, who was sitting at the opposite end of the cave, leaning against the wall as he fixated on a spot, thinking. He looked unsettled, which nerved Nico, who plucked up the courage to ask if he was okay. 

“Josef, _stai bene?_ ”

“ _Stai bene_?” he returned hesitantly, which told Nico he did not know how to reply.

“ _Sto alla grande!_ ” Nico smiled, nodding his head slightly for emphasis. “ _Mi sento malo._ ” he frowned, looking down at the ground and shaking his head. “ _Sto bene._ ” he shrugged, sighed, then let out a half smile. “ _Ora,_ ” he continued, pointing down, “ _Sto bene_ , _perché sono al sicuro. Siamo al sicuro_.”

Yusuf looked to the floor, trying to form a sentence to tell Nico something, unsure of how to piece together his thoughts. They swarmed him like a hive of wasps, constantly buzzing and only aggravating further if he tried to swat them away. He sighed, looking up at Nico, hoping he could fill in the words he was missing. Instead, he asked him why he had not prayed today, proposing the question in his own language, miming each word as he spoke it. Instantly he regretted asking, watching Yusuf’s already disheartened expression plummet even further. Nico apologised, Yusuf shaking his head in response, formulating what to say.

He wanted to tell Nico that yesterday was the first day in years he had willingly missed a prayer, continuing this anomaly to this day as well, and he could barely explain to himself why. The night before, whilst praying _Magribh_ , the penultimate prayer of the day, he told Allah that would be the last one until he understood what was happening - and why. Not dying when the opportunity was presented so forcefully upon a person was not even remotely explicable as a concept, never mind for Yusuf to be experiencing. Though, it happened, sparking forbidden thoughts that his religion may have been fabricated. Yusuf was unsure as to whether he could bring himself to face his God after that, so he prayed for the safety for his family, one last time. Whether this would be permanent, he didn’t know. In the meanwhile, he decided it would be best to put his faith in the only person he knew he could rely on: Nico. 

“ _‘Ant wa’ana._ ” he whispered, looking directly at Nico. He repeated his words, pointing at Nico, then towards himself as he spoke them, relaying the meaning of what he had said through the gesture. A chill climbed up Nico’s spine, as he repeated the words, not knowing entirely how he had done so. They repeated the words back and forth, as if they were throwing and catching a ball, until Yusuf shot a pleading look towards Nico. He mumbled it for the last time, knowing that he had instilled more weight to those words than he had meant to. Nico understood, maybe not in its entirety, but well enough to stop. 

Yusuf poked his tongue out, in a feeble attempt to lighten the mood, resulting in a hollow chuckle from Nico. Yusuf joined in, trying to fill in the void inside him, before catching a glimpse of Nico’s drawing. It glimmered silver where the moonlight had caught it, or maybe it was Yusuf’s sanity that he questioned trying to make a point. There was no place Nico could go to leave it. They would do it together from now on. 

" _Buona notte_ , Nicolò," he whispered " _mi diaspiace_ " afterwards, barely audible, as he settled his body on the floor. Shutting his eyes, he focused his thoughts as if it was his own breathing he was trying to control, inhaling anything positive and exhaling the rest away.

" _Buena notte_ , Josef," he said, concealing his sigh and praying that tomorrow would shine brighter on Yusuf, both of them soon falling asleep.

The first rays dawn poked into the cave as Yusuf shook his head. He was warming up to the Franks, but not when they infiltrated the cave and took Nico away, holding himself captive as they made him watch the times he had killed him. How did they do that? He felt himself crawling into a less horizontal position after his stomach wound had miraculously healed, noticing the man who was admiring his own performance, until he stabbed him in the back, Yusuf wielding the scimitar he had acquired from one of his own fallen soldiers. 

He took a look at the weapon in his hand, it was as if it was actually there. Taking Nico’s own longsword, he suppressed a laugh at the design. He was so proud, that feeling burning inside of him as he tried to shut it off, blinking and shaking fruitlessly at an attempt to wake up. Looking back at his hand, he tightened his grip on the handle, noticing the firmness of his hold, tossing it between his hands with a thought - it was completely tangible.

He heard laughing as his focus darted from the sword, imagining it was the cheering of his own people as they hoisted him up in the crowd, chanting his name over and over again. He had won the battle and he had Nico’s sword to prove it. Feeling hands on his face, he shook himself, trying to inhibit the disorientation as he saw all the men surrounding him - similar in appearance to Nico, but without the kindness in their eyes, shyness in their mannerisms and regard in their hold. They were cruel, whoever they were, until he took another glance at their faces.

He felt his stomach lurch - this was the time Nico stabbed him again and again. He was truly present in those moments, not dusted with the sense of duty that let him plow through and kill all the other people; he was in an uncertain daze then, which blurred the sequence of events, numbing the pain. He fought back control over his actions as he watched the man he did not know take what he had just grasped. Victory. When he resurrected that time, he barely hesitated to strangle the man, feeling the flesh pulsate as the pressure built, the warmth against his own palms as if he was doing it all again. He watched as Nico’s eyes glazed over, his heart sinking at the thought. He knew Nico would get back up any moment, to kill him for the final time. And they would stop the killing.

He hald Nico’s face in his hand, urging him to wake up. He shook him, knowing that he was to be killed next, ready to embrace it. He had deserved it after all. His flesh grew pale, as Yusuf grabbed his face, feeling only cold stone. He struggled to breathe, as a hoard of men surrounded his, all pointing towards him as they cackled like hyenas. He had lost Nico. He looked up at the crowd, trying to convince himself that what he saw was not true, realising that these were the men he killed.

After that thought, all the men had appeared in their military uniform, helmets off as Yusuf noticed their expressions, hearing the final chants some of them managed before he took their lives. They were bloodied, disfigured and hurting, cursing Yusuf’s life as they surrounded him. He pleaded for Nico to be alive, telling them they could take him as long as they looked after Nico, calling out for him over and over again in hopes he would come back to life. There were many of them, more than he had anticipated, unsure of how he had managed to kill another after he had killed one. And then one more and another one until he had his own army, that made it their duty to haunt him.

He felt their hands reach for him, choking and twisting and prodding him - it was the least he could do after he took away their families, home, and life. He spluttered one last time the only thing he could not bear to lose: _Nicolò_.

*

“Josef, _destati_. _Destati, per favore, destati_. Josef, _andrà tutto bene_. Josef, _don acqui_.”

Nico kneeled beside him, leaning over as he watched Yusuf for a few moments, murmuring, tossing and crying in his sleep. Scared, he stroked his shoulder, constantly repeating his affirmations until he felt a tight grasp on his hand. Yusuf opened his eyes, gasped, rolling from his back to his knees. He took a moment to look at Nico, crying more intensely as he held him close, wrapping his arms around his neck and he sighed, trying to steady his breath. Nico knew what he had dreamt of - the time on the battlefield - as he was trying to forget as well. He continued whispering _“don acqui”_ , hoping it would help Yusuf calm his breathing, clutching on the man as if he would lose him if he let go. 

Minutes passed until Yusuf had calmed down, his breath steadied as he released his hold of Nico with a _“grazie”_ , grateful for the fact he was still alive. He asked Yusuf how he was feeling as they helped each other up, Yusuf replied: _safe_. 

It was early morning, and the sun was freshly rising in the sky as they headed to the lake to brush their teeth and wash their faces. Nico noticed Yusuf constantly glancing over at him, making sure that he was still there, so he tried his best to remain in his eyeline.

Over breakfast, they decided they would have to leave the next day, and so began dividing up the remaining food in three piles: two for today and one for the next. Yusuf told Nico that using the camels for their journey would be useful, although he shook his head as soon as he heard “cammello”. Yusuf tried to argue his point in broken Ligurian, switching over to Arabic part way through, trying to urge Nico that it would be the best way. It would be easier for them to be believed as travelling workers, as well as provide some kind of incentive for the people of the village to take them in, as camels were incredibly useful. 

Though Nico was hesitant, he eventually agreed to try, nervous at the thought. Yusuf decided then that he would attempt to sew the slits in their clothes, figuring that he could fashion a needle from one of the twigs and spike of the prickly plants. The fabric around the holes were starting to fray, which would make the task much easier.

Nico smiled at Yusuf as he tied the rest of the food up into bundles and put them away, a refreshing sense of calmness settling within him. 

_A_ _ndrà tutto bene, Josef._


	4. Chapter 4

_Let me take you to some fresh air._

He took his hand and pulled Yusuf up, stepping outside as the soft coolness of the morning air danced around them. They ran their fingers through the lukewarm water, flicking baby droplets upon one another as they ran wet hands down their faces. Illuminated by the orange of the fierce sun, they created ripples in the water, breaking up their reflections into hundreds of slivers, before settling calmly to show one wavy image: Nico plucking a flower. He placed it gently in the other’s palm as he cupped his hands, encasing the flower securely. 

_How are you one of the people who want to take everything from us?_

He kept the blossom securely between two fingers, twirling it occasionally to watch the petals transform into a blur of colour, spinning. Nico smiled at the sight. They skipped up the terrain, taking in the freedom of the outdoors, feeling the air around them warm slightly in the glow of the sun. Playfully, they chased up the hill, their two souls bouncing off each other, fuelling them to climb higher and higher.

_Right at the top. Let’s go there._

Taking a moment to catch their breath before they finished the last leg of the journey, they looked down at the land they had already conquered. The spring - deep and gorgeous in soft shades of aqua - reduced to a small disk. They were distanced from it all: the nightmares, the secrets, the future ahead of them. Their worries took the size of pebbles, dotted around the blue. The only thing that mattered, Yusuf thought, was him. The one standing there, alive in the moment and present in his actions. The one who was trying to take his mind off the worry of losing him by staying beside him. 

_You are nothing like the rest._

*

Perching himself at the top of the hill, a spot he had been eyeing since the beginning of their trek, Nico looked back at Yusuf who was still making his way up. He cheered him on as he approached, one hand outstretched in encouragement. He watched as Yusuf made his way up the final stretch of an almost vertical climb, sitting besides him with a heaving exhale. They had made it.

Yusuf beamed as he had overcome the terrain, looking back at the short journey they made, the steepness adding weight to the otherwise short distance they had travelled. Smiling at the surroundings, he took a moment to appreciate the ground he could still walk upon, acknowledging that it was a blessing. He turned to see Nico admiring the view, and so he joined him.

Before them was ordinary land; if not dull and withered, visibly aged by time as sand collected and cracks formed in the baked soil. It was desolate, yearning for some attention from anything that moved, and incredibly still. It appeared to be frowning back at the onlookers, sagging in areas as if it was completely devoid of energy and had accepted it. Tiny pricks of green peeked from the surface, hope, if the land had ever seen it. Holding an arm out, the flower in his hand added more vibrance to the landscape than it had ever seen.

He looked up at Nico, who faced his way when he realised that he was looking at him, to tell him that he felt safe. Nico laughed softly; his definition of safe seemed skewed, as they were a few centimetres away from falling to their death - until they revived again, of course. Yet he understood the feeling, as Yusuf was no longer trapped in a nightmare, which was comforting. He nodded in agreement, as Yusuf rested his head against his shoulder, their breathing slowly following the same rhythm as they watched the sun climb the sky, barely breathing a word between them.

Still moments of watching passed as Nico turned to Yusuf, asking if he wanted to climb down. He lifted his head up off of his shoulder in response, nodding reluctantly, knowing they had work to do if they were to leave the next day. Nico slid down the top, finding his feet before the two of them tracked back the way they came. Their pace slowed, as they began to talk about the day ahead, Nico eager to explore some more in case they found something of use. 

Yusuf agreed, wanting to spend time away from the cave, as they made their way to the springs, collecting pebbles in their hands as Nico threaded the flower into the curls of his hair, eliciting a chuckle from Yusuf. They walked, dropping a stone every time they turned a corner, navigating the natural alleyways and crevices that surrounded them. Yusuf tried to teach Nico directions, the winding paths making it easier to explain, as they laughed “ _yasar_ ” and “ _yamin_ ” at the meanders. 

They had mapped out a lot of the area around them in their heads, noting shortcuts and hiding spots in case they ever needed them, before Yusuf gestured for them to go back to the spring. It was essential for them to move on with the tasks at this point. Nico’s expression fell flat, enjoying the simplicity of the task at hand, but agreeing with Yusuf as they turned around. He asked him what they were to do next. Yusuf replied with a suppressed smile, as they continued their journey.

Once they had arrived, Yusuf approached a camel from the side, offering the back of his hand as a sign of respect, before gently touching its fur. Nico watched as the camel waggled its ears happily, as Yusuf convinced the animal to lay down and allow him to board it. He patted the animal as it stood up, who adjusted to the weight as it was guided around the body of water, Yusuf gently kicked his foot against the side of the camel to notify it when to turn. Once he felt comfortable in his ability, he patted the camel down, climbed off of it and walked up to Nico.

Speaking golden words of encouragement, Yusuf touched his shoulder, reaffirming that Nico could board a camel and that he would have his support every step of the way as he did so. His breathing quickened as he jittered his head up and down, approaching a different camel that he intended to ride. He looked back to ensure Yusuf was still with him; he was, stood a few paces behind to give Nico space. He stroked the lone camel, approaching it from behind. 

Yusuf barely had the chance to call out his name before the camel swivelled a hind leg in one circular motion, kicking Nico’s shin. Yusuf stuck his tongue between his teeth to prevent himself from cursing or laughing, rushing over to fill the gap between them as he scooped up Nico, carrying him away before he took another blow from the animal. He was shouting, clutching his leg, before being set aside by Yusuf, who was him quietly. Nico muttered, closing his eyes and rocking his head back and forth before he felt the bruise heal.

The heat of the injury began to dissipate as Yusuf tried to explain to him that he was meant to approach the camel by the side, so it could see what was happening. He had frightened the animal, after all, so in its moments of distress, it struck its leg towards Nico. He shook his head, shuffling in his position as he bolted back up, ready to try again for Yusuf’s sake, but also to recover from the moment.

Yusuf shadowed, directing him more carefully as Nico got to know this camel - offering his hand, touching its coat before stroking the animal. Once he was verging on comfortable with the animal, Yusuf assisted him upon the camel, climbing on first with Nico sitting behind him. The camel pushed its legs into the ground as it stood up, startling Nico who instinctively clutched the man in front of him. 

Grinning, Yusuf guided the camel forwards, then directed it to circle the spring as he had done before. Nico’s grip was still comically tight on him, which amused him even though it posed as a minor inconvenience. He knew that Nico would not be able to ride a camel solo, unless his fear of them diminished entirely, as he knew the animal would be able to sense it. He set the camel down, waiting for Nico to climb off so he could do so too, noticing the same firm grip around his chest. 

“Nicolò? _Scendere_ ,” he hesitated, unsure of whether he had remembered the phrase.

In return he heard a whisper, barely audible, which Yusuf understood as Nico being afraid to dismount the animal. He understood the feeling, reminiscing back to the time when he was only a boy, who had just ridden a camel for the first time, sitting behind his father on the animal. Though he climbed up easily and enjoyed the activity, waving his hands in the air to show his bravery to the little crowd of children that watched him, he had frozen on the way down, though the jump was small.

He breathed something his father had told him about perspectives as he shuffled off the camel, with complete care in his actions to ensure he did not kick Nico or the camel in the process. He offered his hand to Nico, helping him down as he swung his left leg over to his right and jumped. He pushed Yusuf, suppressing a smile, realising how silly he would have appeared from the other’s point of view. Yusuf politely shoved him in response, sending him a lot further back than he had intended. Nico laughed, then pinned him onto the floor, dust ascending around them upon impact.

Smirking, Yusuf used his body weight to turn the man over, pressing a knee on his chest and the other on the dirt, tilting his head closer to Nico’s. He noticed his eyes: artistic, a cadet grey with feisty flecks of jade and mocha circling the iris, as if the artist had spent countless hours perfecting the placement of each colour. Yusuf blinked, forgetting what was happening, releasing his grip on Nico.

Nico smiled back at him. Yusuf was visibly confused before feeling a hand against the side of his neck as his back met the ground once more. Nico poked his tongue out as he held Yusuf’s wrists against the ground, a proud smile forming on his face. A slight, mortifying feeling touched Yusuf’s expression as he sighed, closing his eyes in defeat. 

Nico’s face was centimetres away from Yusuf’s, their noses almost touching as he whispered to him, saying something the man did not understand. Nico pulled his head back, laughing sweetly as he picked himself up and tugged Yusuf up with him. Shaking his head, Yusuf was overcome with a warm feeling, as he looked back at Nico who was still smiling. He could have kept Nico easily grounded, he thought, though it was more worthwhile seeing him laugh.

Nico began his way back to the cave, mindful that noon was swiftly approaching, followed by Yusuf who plucked a thin, needle-like wisp on the way. He eyed it, in the cave whilst Nico drew, running it across the back of his hand, amazed at watching it close up, leaving only dried blood as proof it had existed. He repeated this in longer, deeper strokes on his arm, fascinated at the pace the wounds healed. Nico caught a glimpse of what he was doing and pulled it away with a sigh, asking Yusuf not to do such things. 

Nodding, his eyes stumbled across Nico’s drawing. It was a simple, unfinished sketch of himself being kicked by the camel, Yusuf watching and laughing at Nico, who was screaming, holding his leg in pain. Though some features were absent from the piece, both characters were easily distinguishable. They chuckled at it, then sat quiet, smiles still etched on their faces. 

They decided to eat, Yusuf wetting a cloth and handing it over to Nico, who understood what to do with it for a change, wiping his hands with one half of it and handing it back to Yusuf, who did the same. They opened one of the bundles of food and shared it between themselves, both intimately aware of the fact that there were only three left - they would have to leave the next day. It frightened them both, but dwelling on the struggles ahead would not make them any less difficult, so they kept the thought out of mind. 

After the meal, Yusuf tried to teach Nico typical greetings and etiquettes, knowing it would be hard to convey some of the messages. Nico struggled his way through learning “peace be upon you” and “pardon”, trying to grasp the phrases as best as he could. Yusuf was patient, knowing that he should not expect Nico to pronounce things exactly when he barely managed “ _panettone_ ” himself, encouraging the man rather than criticising him. 

They finished their meal quicker than usual, their clothes unpleasant to sit in as the heat baked the dirt and sweat in. They tapped their fingers upon the stone impatiently until it was safe to leave. It posed a bigger risk to Nico, who was only gently tanned, knowing firsthand how unpleasant heat stroke was. Poking his head out of the cave, Yusuf nodded to Nico, untangling the flower out of his hair and placing it with their belongings before they made their way out.

Pulling their tops off, they plunged into the water, Yusuf washing their clothes as Nico enjoyed the water. They splashed each other and laughed, enjoying the moment of calmness with each other, as they scrubbed themselves clean. Closing their eyes, they dunked their heads under the water, competing against each other to see who would rise last. Yusuf won every round, leaving Nico spluttering and gasping for breath as he repeated _one more time_ until the both of them were too tired to continue.

Once they had finished bathing, Yusuf instructed Nico to only wear his trousers, wanting to stitch up their tops and keep them as presentable as possible for the next day. Nico’s cheeks coloured pink at the idea whilst Yusuf eyebrows raised at the response, shaking his head and quietly laughing. He was embarrassed, Yusuf thought, finding both comfort and amusement in the idea.

He climbed out of the spring and shook his limbs, dressing himself halfway and walked himself to a corner so Nico could do the same, picking up a small branch of leaves that concentrated into a ball at one end. He heard the call of his name, prompting him to turn his head, as Nico held their tops in his arms, which he had folded himself. Yusuf resisted commenting on the way he had done so, instead appreciating the effort he had put in, as they shuffled to the cave, in an attempt to prolong the cooling sensation of the air outside on their damp bodies. 

They paced around the entrance until they were mostly dry, their scalps still damp as Yusuf sweeped the ground. Nico stood outside, away from the direction of the dust before entering, propping his shoes by the entrance. Yusuf took the clothes off of him, sitting himself in the brightest spot of the cave. He bit into the edge of the cloth, tugging it into two halves, setting one piece aside as he removed the thread from within. He sat beside him, a few arm lengths away as he watched the man focus on the task at hand.

He fiddled his fingers to the tune of the fabric, weaving the fraying slits with the string, overlapping and entwining the tread until the gap closed up, leaving only a thin stroke of raised fabric in its place. Nico watched the entire time, shuffling over to him when he was done to admire his work. Yusuf folded the clothes, standing up and placing them on a boulder, stretching his back after being hunched for so long. 

“Nicolò?” He held some crayons out in his hand, handed one to Nico and then knelt besides him, propping the extras along the wall. Yusuf watched as Nico began the outline of a face, as he tried to think of what to draw. He was prompted by Nico’s hand on his chest, who told him something he did not understand, before going back to his drawing. He tilted his head, unsure, until he looked at Nico, who was completely absorbed in his actions. 

He tried to replicate his expression, the way his tongue that poked out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated, his eyes barely squinting as he focused hard on both the man and the drawing. His depiction of Nico was quite off, the eyes too small and his hair inadequately drawn. He continued regardless, smiling to himself, adding on more details until he was afraid of making it worse.

He glanced over at Nico’s drawing: two women laughing, sitting between trees on the ground. He noticed the food and weaponry, and then for a fleeting moment, Yusuf saw the picture come to life in a flash of colour and movement. Nico pulled a face at it, trying to understand before Yusuf lay a hand on his shoulder. Nico shuddered at the touch, before attempting to wipe the drawing off, not knowing what Yusuf would make of it. Nico felt hands on his wrists, preventing him from running any more fingers across the drawing, as Yusuf took a closer look. 

He tried not to notice the smudges Nico added, closing his eyes as he thought harder. He tried to picture the faces again, pressing his eyes shut with more force to try and coax the memory back to mind, with no luck recollecting the memory. The two women were familiar, he thought, knowing that he must have seen them somehow. He lay his head in his hands, trying to figure out what it meant - the fact Nico had seen it too ringing in his head as he came to a conclusion.

_There’s more of us_ , he thought out loud, not knowing what exactly propelled him to say such a bold statement, except maybe destiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Un'emozione da poco and Luna Araba have been stuck in my head and I don't even speak Italian well enough to understand the lyrics also I promise they'll move out of the cave very very soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Some of the events won't be completely historically accurate or fit in with the comic or movie, as I'm interpreting the story and the characters in my own way. If anything is blatantly wrong or offensive, please let me know and I'll fix it! Instead of using Ligurian speech, I've used (mostly) modern Italian, to make it easier on my half. I hope you enjoy it so far, feel free to give me feedback and check out my Tumblr (@potatoperlie).
> 
> Take care and stay safe, sunshine.


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